OK, so my plans for September are now pretty advanced. Flights from London to Shanghai and return from HK booked. Hotels in Shanghai, Beijing, Xi'an and Shenzhen booked. Trains will need to wait until 2 weeks prior to travel - but I'd like to make a booking on Budget airline Spring from Xi'an to Shenzhen (Too far for train!) - using their "Spring plus" service with speedy boarding, luggage of 30Kg and carry on of 10Kg. Problem is, it would appear you need a Chinese telephone number to place a booking (as it needs to be verified). A UK number doesn't work. I suspect I would be able to make a booking via Trip - but it would appear the "plus" option isn't available and its something I definitely want as I suspect I will be over 20Kg. I did hope the Spring app might work - but seems which ever way you try, a Cell number is needed.

Is there a way around this or alternatives to get this sorted?

Why Spring? Full service airlines with luggage allowance service this route at very high frequency, and even first class
is very reasonable with rates as low as CNY 1300.

I'm pretty sure my phone number is NOT tied to my Spring account, but ctrip is usually around the same price as direct channels (e.g. website, app, mini program, airports, city ticket offices).


In any event, I suggest waiting until you're in China to buy. The price, especially for Spring Plus, won't be substantially more expensive 5 days out than a month out.

ETA: No 9C thread would be complete without their dance video: https://youtu.be/wIdRM3Mealc?si=W47kv8RJDMecBNpz

I�m just going on the prices displayed in google flights, which suggest other airlines are 300% more expensive than Spring.

Which airline are you suggesting is CNY1300 for first?

LOL - That dance is legendary! Reminds me of the Carnival cruise ship waiters - though thats more like a performance for a tip!

Your screen shot shows luggage on every price shown is 20KG and none are “spring plus” which booking direct is priced at less that the cheapest on trip. Though I can now see it’s not a flight from Xi’an to Shenzhen anyway.

i don’t like booking flights through third party if i can help it, since if they display wrong information, then tough. The plus option direct gives me choice of seating, higher luggage in cabin and hold. Thats what I want to book..

OK - Have managed to sort.

On my last trip, my Shanghai guide, who I got on really well with and regard as a friend and kept in touch with the intention of reconnecting on this trip.

I was merely asking him how I might be able to get round this - and possibly asking him to get me a Chinese Sim so I could book.

He went much further. He has just booked the flight for me and the wife and paid himself - which I will pay back with AliPay in CNY200 hits to avoid the foreign transaction fees using 2 phones I have set up. The total amount was 2 surcharges for "aeroplanes and fuel oil" so was CNY940 each including seats 1A and 1B, 30kg hold and 10kg of cabin luggage. Happy days.

Very lucky I connected so well. I even had a separate day out with his daughter and friend on my last visit - so obviously made a good impression.

He did have problems at first though as he couldn't make the booking for others unless the cell phone number was travelling too. So his number is now my number!

Why would you reserve a domestic mainland Chinese flight more than 2-3 weeks out ? It's not Golden week or any holiday season in september. The prices now are likely the same or higher than buying it closer in. You're also risking an eventual change of schedule which could derail your other plans.

GF doesn't have a Travelsky API, so it only shows higher fare buckets for most flights within China. Other airlines usually don't charge much more than 9C after you take baggage into account.

No reason other than wanting things sorted in advance. I appreciate flights change, but don't see it as a disadvantage. in doing so. The biggie here for me was not realising that Google displayed false info. I'd have preferred not to be flying Spring. Wished I'd asked him to look up alternatives. Done now though. If Spring cancel the flight, I assume that I wont have problems booking something else? When I was in Malaysia last month, I managed to book the 2 of the final four 1st class tickets on a train from Butterworth to KL about 4 months out. True it was NYE - but I'd rather have a booking done than risk not getting one. I appreciate you've more knowledge on how it works and I would have held off had I seen Moondogs reply able Google excluded from the API used. I'd much preferred to go business!

OK many thanks. I will get my Shanghai friend to look up some prices to see what I could have got! lol. He volunteered to book too quickly. Had he suggested "lets see what other options there are" I'd happily done so. Spring was far from first choice!

You don't need your Shanghai friend to sort out this non-mystery. Simply search for flights leaving within the next 3 weeks on any platform that has Travelsky data, and this will provide a clear snapshot of the market.

Looking at March 21:

ZH 103 First CNY 1363
MU 2269 First CNY 1405
TV 6039 First CNY 1247

Many more ZH and MU flights in the same range.

Which sites would you recommend that has the API access?

I appreciate it seems Chinas transport operates different to the Western model, with prices getting dearer the nearer to flight date - but dont you run a risk of not getting the flight you want? Is 3 weeks out when they typically upload?

Obviously too late for the flight booked, but I think I may change from Train to Plane for Beijing to Xi'an so if I know, I can be on the ball to decide nearer the time which to chose.

Many thanks. So I know Google flights wont work and Ive just seen tthat Skyscanner doesnt work (I was looking at Beijing to Xi'an within the next 3 weeks and 1st was coming up between �2000 and �2600 So they obviously dont have acces to the API

I tried Trip and managed to get business from �152, but you had no access to booking seats and I've always prefered dealing direct with the airline. Whats the earliest Id get access to "cheaper" fars? I attempted to check direct" on the Shenzhen airways site for any dates - and it was coming out CNY 14500economy and CNY 6310 Business

The following thread contains extensive discussion about when to purchase tickets:

Domestic airfare

Optimal timing is contingent upon a number of factors (e.g. route, season, airline). I suppose I'd start looking ~4 weeks out in your case if I was feeling super anxious, but odds are, the picture won't change a whole lot until the last several days before your target date.

And, all things being equal, I prefer third party channels (as opposed to booking direct, which often isn't especially direct, anyway), as long as the specific third party offers good customer service. Spring is a bit of an exception, though, because their pricing bundles are somewhat unique. Even then, changing to a different airline is a lot easier if you buy from a neutral source.